Mr. Ó'hAlmhain explains why it is so important to recycle batteries - not only to reduce the damage the chemicals inside batteries can cause to the environment, but also because these chemicals are still useful after the battery is wasted.
These days we use more and more battery operated technology. I'm writing this blog entry on my tablet computer, powered by a battery. How many battery operated things do you own?
What will happen to all those batteries when they are old and worn out? The chemicals in batteries can cause serious harm to people and the environment when they build up in soil and water, so we as users need to take responsibility for them.
The good news is that these chemicals are still useful after the battery is wasted. We can reprocess the batteries and produce harmless substances. The biggest problem is with collecting the batteries. Batteries are small, and each person only uses a few. It would be a lot of bother to bring them to a special place every time we use them up. It would be easy to just throw them in any bin. But if everyone did that we end up poisoning our water supply and worse.
WEEE Ireland has come up with a solution. Mini cardboard bins for the home; leave them in a drawer or on a windowsill, slowly you can fill them up and then take the whole box to a larger bin in school or in any shop that sells batteries, empty it out and start again.
So take action!
Stratford College Green Schools initiative has collection bins at the School Reception, Science Lab, Library, Photocopying Room and Maths/Science room. There are also collection boxes in the National School.
I have a number of the small cardboard boxes available if you want one for home... In small steps we can make a big difference.
Mr. Ó'hAlmhain
[Photos by: Mr. Ó'hAlmhain]
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